BUNYIP (Centre wheeler)

[lner]

I have been trying to locate information on a very unusual ship with a centre paddle wheel.  The PS Bunyip was built in 1857 and was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1863.

My Parents have unearthed a very interesting etching of the ship from an old newspaper article (I think).

There is a small amount of info available http://users.esc.net.au/~pereilly/bunyip.htm

Vessel of  277 tons. Built in 1858 as a double hulled vessel and when rebuilt in 1862 was converted to a single hulled stem-wheeler. Together with two barges, completely destroyed by fire about eleven kilometres above Chowilla Station, Murray River, 8 December, 1866. Two members of the crew and a child passenger lost their lives and most others on board suffered burns. One of the hulls of the Bunyip was converted into a schooner named Waterlily which traded on Lake Alexandrina before sinking off Point Malcolm, 1903. [LS]

[towboatjoe]

Speaking of center wheelers. I've been thinking of building a model of the center wheeled ferry Leo Bisso

[thewharfonline]

I know about the Bunyip, it was owned by Randell i think, and it was a centre wheeler, I think it had two hulls too with the wheell in the centre.

The wierdest thing about it is a few months ago I dreamt I was aboard it...wierd

I'll see if i can get moew info on it!

Oh and on the line of weird wheelers I know a stern wheeler with two stern wheels!

[lner]

Yes it was built by William Randall.

As I understand it he converted it from centre wheel to a stern wheel due to difficulty in steering.

I have found a US art dealer with an oil painting of the ship

[thewharfonline]

Yep thats the one, in a few of me books there are some sketches of it, nothing much other than "an unusual steamer" though. But I tried to find some stuff out. And I do believe it would be hard to steer especially on the murray!

[Walter Snowdon]

If you look at PS ALIANCE article in Research forum, you will find a near identical ship which predates BUNYIP and may have been the basis of her design. Walter.

[lner]

Thanks Walter,

I have since located the dimensions of the Hulls.  It was apparently steered by a smaller transverse (?) paddle wheel at the bow.  The owner had another smaller version which was built first, the Gemini, which I found a photograph of.  The photo is unfortunately so horrible I cannot even discern the outline of the damn boat.  Still looking though.

I am considering building a model of it, but need more info first.

[Khephre]

"steered by a smaller transverse (?) paddle wheel at the bow"

Interesting - in effect a precursor to the modern bow thruster. I see that the two small paddle wheels on the ALLIANCE have also been mentioned in PD postings with similar comments.

Anyone know of any other boats that used this approach to steering?

Tony

[AlistairD]

I recently purchased a second-hand copy of "A log of Great Australian Ships" by Graeme Andrews, published in 1980.

He has a page on an unusual paddle steamer named Kangaroo, which was similar to Bunyip.

\Kangaroo was a catamaran with a single centre paddle, and was built for use as a vehicle ferry at Hobart in 1855. She was in service right up until 1926 across the Derwent.

There is one photo of her, a bow view on a slipway.

Has anyone else heard of this steamer and has anyone here modelled it?